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How Research Can Improve Health in Sickle Cell Disease

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET
Virtual (webinar)

Description

How Research Can Improve Health in Sickle Cell Disease: From Implementation Science to Gene Therapy

During this joint event of the NHLBI Biomedical Lecture Series (BLS) and Health Equity Research Outreach (HERO) Quarterly Lecture Series, Dr. Makani will discuss the following topics:

  • Sickle cell disease as a model disease for the translation of genomics into health benefits because of its public health significance (high prevalence, significant morbidity and mortality) and the limited interventions available.
  • The approach taken at institutional, national, and global levels is to integrate and coordinate health, advocacy, research, and training in Africa.
  • Tanzania’s work with other countries in Africa and global partners to introduce effective public health interventions through implementation science whilst at the same time conducting basic science research, including in genomics, with the aim of contributing to gene therapy to improve health and cure sickle cell disease.

About the Speaker:

Professor Julie Makani is a Physician Scientist in the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Provost Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, UK. Tanzania established one of the world’s largest single-center study cohorts for sickle cell disease. She serves as the Principal Investigator of the Sickle Cell programme in MUHAS and Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCO) Clinical Coordinating Centre (CCC) within SickleInAfrica network. Site Principal Investigator for MUHAS for H3ABioNet; Co-Principal Investigator SickleGenAfrica. This work aims to use sickle cell disease as a model to establish scientific and healthcare solutions in Africa that are locally relevant and globally significant. The approach integrates public health interventions with genomics, including gene therapy, to improve health and cure sickle cell disease.

The question and answer portion of this session will be moderated by Dr. Makeda Williams, Global Health Program Director, Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science (CTRIS) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.


About the HERO Series: The HERO series highlights the work and voices of those involved in global and domestic health equity research. Through discussion and engagement, the series aims to foster collaborations to address pressing challenges and opportunities in this burgeoning area of scientific research. HERO series events are hosted by the NHLBI Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science (CTRIS).

About the BLS Series: Speakers in this series present their current research and are given the opportunity to briefly comment on broader issues in their scientific fields. The series is organized by the NHLBI extramural scientific staff, and NHLBI extramural scientific staff members select the speakers.

Select Speakers

Dr. Julie Makani
Professor, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
PI, Sickle Cell Programme, Dept of Haematology and Blood Transfusion; PI, SickleInAfrica Clinical Coordinating Center at MUHAS, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Provost Visiting Professor, Centre for Haematology, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, UK
Dr. Julie Makani